Electric candle



March 3, 1936. E. A. TIGHE 2,032,451

ELECTRIC CANDLE Filed March 30, 1935 INVENTOR: Edward fi D966,

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improvement in electric candles and has for its principal object the provision of an electrically lighted similitude of a candle and, in which, in order to lower the cost, a standard type of miniature filament lighted bulb is used to light the tip of a glass or similar transparent candle. This form of structure eliminates the necessity of creating a vacuum in the entire candle like body with a filament therein, to form an electric candle, as has been the practice in some instances.

A further object is to provide a mounting means for the miniature bulb in such a candle that will be somewhat resilient against movement in certain directions for shock absorption and the like, and to provide an opaque body filling in order to control and confine the light from the enclosed miniature lamp entirely to the tip portion of the candle body and away from the body of the candle.

Another object is to provide in a filling support for such miniature lamp, a simple means for maintaining the bulb in operative relation to the candle body tip, to provide a larger socket ferrule on one end of the body of the candle portion whereby it may be fitted into any lamp socket of the well known standard type in use and to provide clearances in said filling support whereby the miniature bulb may be electrically connected to the candle body ferrule, and the introduction of such candle body into a standard threaded electric light socket.

A further object is in the provision of mounting the miniature bulb within the confines of a candle of the type described so that during shipment the enclosed bulb is protected against breakage, or contact with anything that would impair its lighting value.

These and other capabilities will be apprehended as the herein description proceeds and it is obvious that modifications may be made in the structure without departing from the features as outlined herein or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the completed structure of my candle, partly in section and broken away to show the details thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a. portion of the lower end of my candle showing the manner of connecting the wires between the ferrule of the miniature bulb and the standard lower candle ferrule, and the manner of mounting the enclosing candle body in the ferrule of the standard electric light socket.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the body portion of the candle I may be, preferably, of cylindrical formation from the top of the ferrule to near the top of the candle at a point 2. From the said point 2 the body portion is drawn together and closed into a dome like structure to form an enclosing chamber in the upper end of said candle body to encase the electric light bulb 3.

The candle body I may be of any suitable transparent colored glass or vitreous material capable of being blown, molded or drawn. In the present instance I have found that glass is satisfactory for this purpose.

In ordinary commerce such tubes are readily made in glass and may be cylindrical or hexagonal in their cross section and these can be cut into desired lengths and thereafter, by heat, may be molded at the lower end and closed at the upper end, after the well known art of glass making.

These tubes may be made of clear transparent glass or in glass of various colors whereby the light may be of any color as desired, but I prefer to have the candle body colored somewhat along the line of lemon or. orange colors so that when the bulb is lighted it will simulate the appearance of an ordinary candle flame.

Such colored candle-like bodies under the circumstance of my present use, not only afford a candle-like flame at the upper end but the translucent color thereof hides the interior bulb supporting core and body filling.

As to the miniature bulb holding means in Fig. 1 I have illustrated a bored core 4, which may be of any suitable material, but I find that a soft wood, such as white pine or light weight wood such as balsa wood may be used for such holding means and as a main filler.

It will be noted, as in Fig. 1 that the main filler piece 4 is externally cylindrical to slidably fit the interior cylindrical dimensions of the candle body I and is provided with a central cylindrical bore 5 located longitudinally of said piece 4 and that this core, in length occupies about three quarters, more or less, of the upper interior of said candle like body. The length of this filler 4 is not of very great consequence, but it is suincient in length to form a socket like support for the threaded ferrule of the bulb 3 as at 6, Fig. 1.

In ordinary practice a corresponding thread may be cut into the upper end of the body filler 4 to afford a pre-cut threaded socket or seat for the reception of the threaded ferrule 6 of the bulb 3. In the case of using balsa wood as a filler, precutting of the thread to form a socket would not be necessary as this wood is soft enough to permit the ferrule 6 to be screwed into the unthreaded bore 5 and thus the ferrule will form its own threads under the pressure of the screwing action, and thereby firmly seat the lamp 3 therein.

In order to conduct electric current to the bulb 3 from the candle ferrule 9, there are two wires, the interior one, I, connected to the ferrule tip I! of the miniature lamp 3, passes down through the central bore 5, of the body filler portion 4 and is connected to the bottom tip terminal 8 of the candle ferrule 9 which is located upthe. lower contracted end of the candle body I. This. lower ferrule is of standard dimension and construction and is readily fitted into the standard lamp sockets of known type.

It is thus apparent that the wire 1 between the tipterminal of the lamp 3 and the lower terminal 8 of the socket ferrule 9 is electrically connected to both said members.

Another wire 10- is electrically connected at its upper end to theupper edge of the ferrule 6 of the miniature bulb 3 and this wire is run down externally of the body filler piece: 4 and inside of the' candle cylinder I, the outer surface of the said body filler piece 4 being provided, as in Fig. 2, with a; groove ll, down which groove the wire 10 is led and at its lower end, as is indicated in Fig. 3 the wire I is brought around the bottom edge it of the candle: forming body I and upwardly and around and between the outer surface of the candle body I and the inner surface of the threaded ferrule portion 9 and, at an external point I3= on the ferrule 9 the wire I0 is electrically attached.

Thus the wire I0 is electrically connected to the edge portions ofthe ferrules 6 and 9, and the wires 1 and [0 are kept spaced from each. other a suitable distance. The candle like body, before mounting in the ferrule 9, is a straight cylindrical body except .at its closed; tip M. In this condition the miniature bulb 6 and its wires I and I0 properly assembled to the solid body filling core 4 are pushed into the candle body I, to a seat at the curved portion 2, as shown in Fig. 1. Then the lower end of the candle body I is heated until it becomes plastic and is contracted as at, I5, Figs. 1v and 3, so that it will fit into the said ferrule 9.

Thus the contracting of the lower edge I 2 to fit the ferrule 9 is done after the body filler 4 and assembly are introduced. and before the wiring 1-IIJ is connected to the ferrule 9 at the lower end.

Thereafter the space A between the lower contracted end [5 and the ferrule 9 is filled with a cementi'tious material to firmly seal and hold the candle forming body and the lower socket ferrule 9- in firm operative condition.

Before entering and sealing the lower contracted end I5. or'connecting the wires 1-l0 to the lower ferrule 9 that space left between the lower end It of the filler 4 and the body of the ferrule 9 is packed with a cushion filling material I8 and this may be of shredded asbestos or cotton, thus forming at the bottom portion of the candle body a resilient cushion like body so that the core 4 and the miniature bulb 3 are held in resilient mounting, longitudinal of the length of the candle body i.

In practice, when mounted ina socket with .the current turned on, the device gives an effective and subdued lighting, and at a distance appears like a lighted candle, as the dome portion of the candle like body glows with a soft light, while the'rest of the candle being opaque, due to its filling, restricts the light to the upper end thereof.

What I claim is:

. 1. An electric candle comprising a glass candle body having one end closed to form a chamber and an electric light socket ferrule on the opposite end, an electric bulb therein having a socket ferrule thereon, a solid filler means in said body having a socket for said bulb ferrule and a resilient filler cooperating with the first filler in said body.

2. electric candle comprising an outer translucent candle body having a chambered closed end, a light bulb in the chamber in said end, an opaque core filler in said body mounting said bulb, a threaded socket ferrule on the other end of said body, means for electrically connecting said bulb and ferrule and a resilient filling, means between the first filler and said ferrule.

3. An electric candle comprising an outer translucent candle body having a dome like closed end, alight bulb enclosed in said end, an opaque solid core filler in said body for mounting said bulb, a threaded socket ferrule on the other end of said body, means for electrically connecting said bulb and ferrule and an opaque resilient filling means packed between said solid filler and said ferrule.

4. An electric candle comprising an outer glass candle body having a dome like closed end, a light bulb in said end, a bored opaque core filler in said body, means in' said core for mounting said bulb, a threaded socket ferrule on the other end of said body, means for electrically connecting said bulb: and ferrule through said opaque core and a resilient filling means between said ferrule and said opaque core.

5. An electric candle comprising. an opaque filler having a flat top end, a light bulb rising from said: end, a' translucent outer glass shell having a candle shaped body portion closely engaging said fi'ller, said body portion having at its bottom end a socket ferrule, conductive means connecting; said ferrule and the bulb, and a tapered portion at the top of'the shell, said latter portion. providing a light chamber around the bulb.

6. An electric candle comprising in combination a filler simulating wax and having a fiat top end, a light bulb having its filament rising from said end, a translucent shell having a candle shaped body portion closely embracing said filler, conductive means for attaching: the bottom end of saidv shell in a socket, conductive means connecting said bulb and the first means, and a tapered portion of said shell providing a light chamber around the bulb.

7. An electric candle comprising in combination a filler having at least its top end simulating the wax of a candle, said end having a light bulb thereon, an outer translucent electric non-conductive shell having a candle shaped body portion closely engaging the filler, a socket ferrule carried by the bottom end of said shell, conductive means connecting said ferrule and the bulb, and a. tapered top portion extending from the first portion and providing a light chamber around the bulb, so that the top end of the filler may become substantially visible, the visibility of the filler becoming less as the distance from said top end increases. 7

8. In an electric candle, the combination of a.

substantially candle-shaped translucent electric non-conductive shell, said shell including a body and having a tapered top, a bottom socket ferrule, opaque means shaped substantially like the wax of a candle and disposed in said shell, said means being embraced by said body and having a fiat top end which is provided with a relatively small socket, conductive means extending from said ferrule to the socket, and a miniature light bulb including a filament and having a ferrule in the socket, said tapered terminal providing a light chamber around the filament.

9. In an electric candle, an outer shell hav ing electric conductive socket attaching means at one end, the opposite end of the shell being tapered, a short filler movably disposed in the shell and having on one of its ends a bulb which is disposed in the tapered end, flexible conductive means connecting said bulb and the first means,

and a resilient filler disposed between the first filler and said attaching means, so that said first filler may be moved, as and for the purpose de- 10 scribed.

EDWARD A. TIGI-IE. 

